Mechanical and thermal conductivity properties of hemp fiber reinforced polyurethane composites

Abstract

The aim of the present work is to introduce natural hemp fiber as reinforcement in the preparation of partially biodegradable green composites. Composite of rigid polyurethane (PU) and hemp fiber (H.F) ​​were prepared at different loading rates in (H.F) ​​(5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% and 30%). Water absorption, thermal conductivity, and mechanical properties of composite were investigated as a function of fiber content. The results show that, the thermal conductivity of composites increases linearly with density. The mechanical properties of composites with 15% wt fibers loading provided a 40% increase in strength. Measured properties showed that polyurethane- hemp fibers composite present good insulating properties compared to the traditional insulation materials (glass wool, mineral wool etc.). Therefore, (PU-HF) insulation may provide a promising solution for building insulation.